02(Exodus 04,24-26) Saved by an Angry Wife

(Exodus 4:24-26) And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

I. Omission.

A. Solitude has its advantages, but it never compensates for the loss of Christian fellowship. The years away have had their toll on Moses’ commitment.

B. Compromise may be necessary in a relationship, but you must never compromise the relationship. Every father knows that marriage entails foregoing some previous habits, activities, even friends; that is called compromise. But to forego obedience to God is to compromise the marriage itself.

When I speak of compromise, I am not talking about the healthy give and take that must go on to live in harmony with one another, but it cannot be had at the expense of compromising the expressed will of God.

II. Obedience.

A. Required by God if you are to be used in service. Moses had broken a covenant, and now was to be the representative of that covenant.

1. How could Moses lead the people unless he himself obeyed God?

2. How could Moses teach the covenant if he refused to circumcise his own son?

3. How could Moses teach people to love and obey God unless he loved and obeyed God?

4. How could Moses teach people to put God first if he put his wife first?

B. Required even when the spouse doesn’t agree. No excuses because the spouse was unwilling to follow. As a father you are responsible for the conduct of your life, and the upbringing of your children.

1. It is charged upon Eli that he honoured his sons more than God (1 Sam. 2:29).

2. (Matt 10:37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

It may seem strange but God wants us to understand the nature of obedience. This point is especially crucial to those who are in leadership positions. Leaders set the tone and example for service for all those who are watching. Woe to those leaders who seek to build up God’s people around their own personal whims and wishes while disregarding the clear teaching of the Word of God.

III. Observation.

A. Zipporah was right about one thing. It is a bloody religion. I stand before you offering to you that you can be forgiven for your sins. But I make that offer only because there has been bloodshed.

1. (Hebrews 9:22) And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

2. Grace is free, but grace is not cheap. Yet, when you compromise, you cheapen grace, making it of no effect. You crucify to yourself the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

B. Fathers, have you circumcised your heart, removing the influences of the flesh: compromise?

(Deut 10:16) Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

C. Fathers, have you been a priest to your sons/daughters? Have you met your obligation to lead them to salvation?

(Eph 6:4) And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Sometimes we get so busy doing the Lord’s work that we don’t have time to listen to the voice of God. Never forget that God speaks to us just as powerful today as he did to Moses and the prophets. His voice wants to be heard. When we listen to it we are launched into the greatest and most exciting adventure we could ever imagine.

God wants to speak to us because first of all he loves us. God wants to speak to us today because we need his definite and deliberate direction for our lives. And God wants to speak to us today because he knows we need the comfort and assurance of his Word in difficult times just as much as Moses did. God continues to speak to us today through the lives of men such as Moses because he wants us to know him.

And if I fail to listen to the voice of God, I will never truly come to know him. God’s act of judgment against Moses is an act of grace as well. There is no way to discover God if we refuse to follow him. So before Moses enters into the arena, God teaches him the importance of listening to the voice of God.